Dr. Menno Huikeshoven was a guest at Villa D'Arte, where he spoke candidly about his career as a plastic surgeon and what motivates him every day. He described the rewarding nature of reconstructive work, his philosophy of natural-looking results, and the importance of listening carefully to each patient's wishes. Villa D'Arte provided the perfect setting for this in-depth conversation about the art and science of plastic surgery. Dr. Huikeshoven's passion for his profession shines through in every word.
Plastic surgery is much more than simply making people look better. Dr Menno Huikeshoven is a plastic surgeon at Blooming clinic in Haarlem, Het Spaarne Gasthuis in Haarlem and the Rode Kruis Ziekenhuis (burns centre) in Beverwijk. He treats people who require reconstruction after a burn or trauma, and people with hand and wrist problems. At Blooming clinic he also helps people who deeply wish to change something about their appearance.
When did you know you wanted to become a plastic surgeon?
Menno can still clearly remember the moment he knew he wanted to become a plastic surgeon. During an information day for the medical degree programme, he heard a remarkable and impressive story from a plastic surgeon who treated horrific war wounds of victims from Ethiopia. This story sparked a fascination with the profession that never left him.
One week you perform a breast augmentation and the next week a breast reconstruction following breast cancer - how do you find this?
It gives me enormous satisfaction when the results are beautiful and patients are made happy by them. Previously I thought that reconstructive surgery would give me the most satisfaction; I have since discovered that I am also genuinely made happy by satisfied patients following a breast augmentation or other cosmetic procedure.
What are the most common cosmetic procedures?
The most frequently performed cosmetic procedures at Blooming Plastische Chirurgie are currently: eyelid corrections, breast augmentations and facelifts. As a plastic surgeon you always create scars. We ensure that scars are as inconspicuous as possible by placing them in unobtrusive locations along natural skin folds or skin lines.
Can scars also be made less visible in other ways?
Scar care is extremely important alongside a good surgical technique. General guidelines: avoid UV exposure, do not smoke, and avoid tension on the scar. We developed a scar cream from our expertise, initially used for burns patients. After years of research and positive patient feedback, the Staudt cream is now available as a scar cream for surgical scars and scars from accidents, burns, abrasions, acne, radiotherapy, chickenpox and other skin conditions. Available from 29.95 EUR.
Would you like more information about cosmetic plastic surgery? You can make an appointment with one of the plastic surgeons at Blooming clinic.